Condensate removal apparatus



Oct. 12, 1937.. H. SCHMIDT 2,095,534

CONDENSATE REMOVAL APPARATUS Filed April 23, 1935 CONDENSER F :a. 3. WI TNESSES INVENTOR v MKW HENRYE SCHMIDT.-

.flf. BY

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ATTORN EY 5 It is customary, with steam power plant con- Patented Oct. 12, V I

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE 2,095,534 )CONDENSATE REMOVAL APPARATUS Henry F. Schmidt, Lansdowne, Pa., assignmto Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Com- 4 p any, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 23, 1935,1Serlal No. 17,785 2 Claims. (01. 103-5) My invention relates to condensers and it has pump. It is a further object of my invention to for an object to improve condensam removal provideapparatus or this character having the apparatus therefor so as to reduce the head room advantageous features or construction and of 1 requirements. operation just pointed out.

densers, to have the condensate removal pump, vention as will be apparent from the following deusually of the centrifugal type, located sumeientscrlption and claims taken in connection with the ly below the hotwell or condensate outlet as to accompanying drawing forming a part of this maintain submergence of the pump. In accordapplication, in which:

ance with my invention, I do not depend upon Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing my im- 10 gravitational head to secure submergence, with proved condensate removal means;

the result that the pump may be located at a Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the conrelatively higher level with respect to the hotwell. densate ejector and hotwell as shown in Fig. 1; To this end, I provide a booster ejector associated and,

t with the conduit supplying condensate from the Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the water 15 condenser to the pump inlet, the booster ejector nozzles.

being motivated by condensate received from the Referring to the drawing more in detail, I show pump discharge and promoting the flow of cona steam condenser l0 having a hotwell or condensate to the inl t f t p mp, w r by. in densate -collection chamber ll. Condensate is These and other objects are effected by my in- 5 ope a the p p may be adequately subsupplied from the collection chamber or hotwell me ven though, f g -v ation Point by means of the conduit I2 to the inlet i3 of the of view, it has zero or negative submergence. centrifugal pump l4 having an outlet l5. h r f r it is appar nt t at. y the us f y Instead of having the pump it arranged below invention, the q d head room condensate the bottom of the hotwell or collection chamber removal appa atus may e considerably u d it sufflciently to secure positive submergence of 2 While the invention may be applied to 0011- t pump, as is customary, the pump is shown densers both of the land a marine p it is elevated considerably from the usual location, particularly useful in connection with the latter and th elevation may be such th t t u may yp b c of greater assurance of maintaining have zero or negative submergence instead of so submergenee 0f D P in case listing of the positive submergence. To provide for satisfactory ship in su h manner as to raise the P below operation of the elevated pump, the positive head the bottom o the-condenser and because of 111m at the inlet of the latter must be provided for in ited room frequently encountered aboard ship, some way Accordingly, an t t m, is

, particularly where the condenser is located near shown associated with the conduit H to promote 85 t0 h ship's botmmw Therefore if applied to the flow of condensate through the conduit to the naval craft, the improved system of condensate inlet of the pump, whereby proper operating removal provides for maintenance of operation mergence may be secured even though the gravi even though listing of the ship should occur for tational submergence is insufiicient or negative.

any reason, as, for example, on account of being 40 hit dunnga naval engagement and it makes The ejector includes a-motive nozzle ll supplied 40 possible location of the condenser in a relatively zgg f ggfi i g fi' gi ggi fi gg g gi gfi low position. Also, where the invention is apd1 h th plied to condensers of the marine type, it is de- Q .confiuit R nozzle aging e sirable to provide condensate removal pumps of motive get into the diifuser or combining tube I9.

difierent capacities, one being sufliciently large Thus' it w be energy denved from the to handle condensate under full power operating pump dlscharge 1S avafla'ble to Provide a Posiconditions and the other being relatively smaller five head at thepump inlet: a therefore, satisg as determined by low power requirements, each of factory ubmergence of the P p be the pumps h m a ejector ti t by cured even though, from a gravitational point of densate supplied from the exit side of the pump view. the su rs n e is pr c ic zero or n sa and both pumps being connected to a common tive. As illustrated the ejector, at It, is comdlschargeline through branches having valves prised in partby the collection chamber orhotwhich function to prevent back flow of condenwell structure. To this end, opposed walls 20 sate from an active pump through an inactive and 2| of thehotwell or collection chamber carry the nozzle l'l andthe diffuser or combining tube l9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the motive fluid nozzle I1 is modified so as to provide a cruciform discharge area, as indicated at 23, whereby the entrainment area of the jet may be greatly increased and cavitation troubles minimized. The advantage of this construction will be apparent when it is considered that the cross-section of an ordinary jet varies as the square of the radius whereas the boundary thereof varies as the radius. Accordingly, as a jet is made larger, the flow of fluid increases disportionately compared to the boundary surface. By using the cruciform structure, the disadvantage of large jets on this account is very largely minimized, for it will be apparent that the cruciform discharge area in which the elements are relatively narrow assures of a relatively greater' jet entrainment surface to jet flow in consequence of which entrainment is greatly improved.

While a single condensate removal pump and booster ejector may be used, as just described, yet, in naval applications, it may be desirable to provide two condensate removal pumps, one being a large pump M for removal of condensate when operating under full power conditions and a relatively smaller pump 25 serving to remove condensate when the ship is operated at relatively lower power conditions, or at cruising speed. The pump 25 is provided with a booster ejector, at 26, associated with the condenser or condensate collection chamber I l in a manner similar to the ejector I6. To this end, I show the chamber II connected by a conduit 21 to the pump 25 and the booster ejector 26 is comprised by a nozzle 28 and a diffuser 29 suitably positioned with respect thereto. As in the case of the ejector, at l6, the nozzle and the difiuser elements are preferably carried by walls of the chamber H. The nozzle 28 is supplied with water from the discharge side of the pump 25 by means of the conduit 30.

The pumps l4 and 25 have their outlets l5 and 3| connected to branch conduits 32 and 33, respectively,. which are joined to the discharge conduit '34.

Check valves 35 and 36 are arranged in the branches 32 and 33, respectively, and are arranged to prevent backflowinto an inoperative pump when the other pump is operative. Also, there are shown valves 31 and 38 arranged in the outlets of the pipes 32 and 33 and arranged beyond the check valves 35 and 36 so that either pump and its associated apparatus may be isolated from the discharge line.

Referring now more particularly to the structure of each ejector, for example, the ejector IS, on opposite walls 20 and 2| of the collection chamber II is formed with similar and alined openings 40 and 4|. The nozzle l'l extends through the opening 40 and has its discharge end disposed about midway between the walls 20 and 2|, the nozzle being provided. with an annular flange 42 which overlaps the boundary of the opening 40 and is coupled to the wall 20 externally of the collection chamber in any suitable manner. The combining tube I! has the inlet end 43 of its passage arranged to register with the opening 4| so that said opening may constitute an entrance for the combining tube, the combining tube having an annular flange 44 which is. coupled externally of the wall 2| in any suitable manner. As shown, the openings 40 and ll are similar and they are preferably both rounded so that the nozzle and combining tube elements may be associated with either opening. Thus, it will be seen that manufacture and assembly of the apparatus is facilitated in that the nozzle and combining tube elements are formed separately from the collection chamber, are fastened to the latter externally, and may be arranged in either opening. As already pointed out, each nozzle is formed with a plurality of slit-like discharge passages so as to provide a high ratio of surface to cross-sectional area of the jet, whereby a large entrainment effect is secured. Not only is the jet modified in this way to induce a large entrainment eflect, but

this result is further achieved by having the dis-' charge end of the nozzle arranged substantially midway between the rear walls, whereby a discharging jet is exposed internally of the collection chamber for action upon condensate.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided ,a condenser installation which does not require that the condensate removal pump shall be located at a relatively low level with respect to the condenser shell, this being made possible for securing submergence by means other than gravity, that is, by using water from the discharge of the pump to serve as motive fluid to motivate a booster ejector which provides a positive head, or submergence, for the pump. Also, it will be seen that the condenser shell is provided with a collection chamber especially arranged and modified to provide for the ejectors, the chamber having its exposed walls carrying the nozzles and the combining tubes, respectively, of the ejectors. Furthermore, the discharge ends of the nozzles are axially spaced with respect tothe inlet ends of the combining tubes so that portions of the jets of adequate axial length are exposed internally of the collection chamber to secure entrainment of water from the latter into the combining tube. In installations, for example, on naval craft, where operationunder difierent speed and power conditions is required, I prefer to utilize a plurality of pumps, each pump being provided with a booster ejector. Assuming that a naval ship is required to operate under high speed and high power and under cruising speed and low power conditions, then a pair of centrifugal pumps suitable for operation under these conditions may be provided, that is, a large pump for the high speed and high power condition and a smaller pump for the cruising speed and low power condition, the large and small pumps having large and small booster ejectors to secure submergence either because of location of the pumps at a level or levels relatively higher than customary or because of listing of the ship. If large and small pumps are used, than the outlets thereof are preferably connected to branches of a main discharge conduit and each branch has valve means therein to prevent back-flow of water through an idle pump when the other pump is in operation.

While I have shown an ejector motivated by condensate received from the pump discharge and operating to maintain satisfactory pump submergence, it will be obvious that any means utilizing energy derived from the pump discharge for boosting the flow of condensate to the inlet of the pump for this purpose may be used.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the m that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of 75 various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire,

therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1.'In a condenser installation, a condenser having a shell, large and small condensate rem val centrifugal pumps, large and small booster eje. tors for supplying condensate from the shell to the'inlet's of the large and small pumps, re-

sp'ectively, motive fluid conduits for the large and small ejectors and connected to the outlets of the large and small pumps, respectively, a discharge conduit including branches connected to the outlets of the pumps, and valve means arranged in the branches and serving to prevent backflow through an idle pump when the other pump is in operation.

2. In a condenser installation, a condenser having a shell, a condensate collection chamber in communication with the interior of the shell, large and small ejectors each including a nozzle and a combining tube carried, respectively, by opposed walls of the chamber, large and small centrifugal pumps having their inlets supplied from the combining tubes of the large and small ejectors, respectively, motive fluid conduits for the nozzles and connected to the outlets of the large and small pumps, respectively, the discharge ends of the nozzles being spaced from the inlet ends of the combining tubes so that adequate entrainment area of each jet is exposed interiorly of the chamber to effect entrainment of condensate therefrom to its'combining tube, a discharge conduit having branches connected to the outlets of the pumps, and valve means arranged in the branches and, serving to prevent back-flow through an idle pump when the other pump is in operation.

HENRY F. SCHMIDT. 

